Braves Designate Michael Bourn For Assignment

The Braves have designated outfielder Michael Bourn for assignment, David O’Brien of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution writes (Twitterlinks). They also selected the contracts of outfielder Drew Stubbs and reliever Alexi Ogando. The Braves signed Stubbs to a minor-league deal earlier this week, adding the veteran to a crowded outfield picture, and Stubbs’ addition as a potential backup center fielder likely made the Braves feel Bourn (and Emilio Bonifacio, who was also cut this morning) no longer had much use for them.

As O’Brien points out, the Braves’ two highest-paid players this year will be Bourn and Nick Swisher, both of whom are now gone. Of course, some of Bourn’s $14MM and Swisher’s $15MM will be paid by the Indians, who signed both players before sending them to Atlanta for Chris Johnson in an exchange of bad contracts. Bourn is in the last year of his deal — he has a vesting option for 2017, but almost certainly won’t get enough plate appearances this season for it to vest.

Bourn’s decline since signing that contract in early 2013 has been swift. His hitting has declined from .274/.348/.391 in 2012 to .238/.310/.282 last year, and his once-terrific defense has declined, too — UZR, for example, rated Bourn as 23.3 runs above average in center in 2012 and 2.5 runs below last season. Perhaps that shouldn’t be surprising, since outfield defense doesn’t seem to age particularly well. Whatever the case, Bourn no longer served an obvious purpose on a rebuilding Braves team already featuring plenty of outfielders, including Ender Inciarte, Nick Markakis, Hector Olivera, Jeff Francoeur and Stubbs.

Why gamble? The O’s have little speed and you’re putting one of our best hitters at the top of the lineup with no one to get on base in front of him. This is going to be a home run or strikeout team. We’ve been waiting on Reimold to break out for like 5 years. And Kim could be back in Korea soon.

You’re implying that Bourn is a sure thing despite the fact that he’s been declining for 3 straight years and is effectively being released.. The Orioles are already going to have one of the lowest OBP marks in the AL (if not the majors). It doesn’t need to be exacerbated by a player that provides negative value in just about every aspect of his game.

Leftfield is the weakest position outside of the rotation. Bourn isn’t fantastic but you can get him on the league minimum. While he has declined over the years I still think he’s better than what the current options are.

Do you think if someone ate the money owed to Bourn and Boni that the Braves would throw in a prospect? Not like a blue-chipper, I’m saying like a Thurman, Fried (based off of TJ surgery), Rio type guy

Man if Markakis hits .300 and is a bust, I want 7 more busts in the batting order. Did he hit HRs? No. But off of neck surgery, pretty good production and at the AAV of most OFs, will be a steal in 2017 of his power returns.

Why you wouldn’t just platoon Bourn/Swisher for one year when you’re not trying to compete is beyond me. You have at least one OF prospect too, which means Markaksis is not Long for that roster anyway. LOLBarves

1.6 fWAR for 2015 means he was just worth his $$$ last year and we can’t assume he will exceed that number as he ages and declines. If they could get something for him they should have moved him this offseason.

all he offers at this point is a good OBP, his defense is bad, baserunning is bad, power is bad (and it was never great to begin with)

home runs are the most efficient way to score. this amusing “small ball” band wagon everyone has jumped on simply doesn’t work. It’s a terrible way to score. every year the teams at the top in runs scored are also near the top in ISO and OBP. (and wRC+) getting on base and requiring multi hit innings to score relies too much on hit sequencing (which isn’t a team skill) to work long term

thinking the Royals result last year is some reliable new inefficiency is not using statistics correctly, it’s assuming the anomaly is the rule.

I agree with you Bravos4evr on the HRs. My point is just to the fact the baseballrat thinks Markakis, hitting .296 after neck surgery is under a bad contract. $11M a year for his contact and possibly power recovery is a good contract to me. I feel if Markakis gets on and FF gets his strength back as well, we can score many more runs than last year. Not saying Braves take Royals small ball approach.

I think that one of the big determining factors was that as a left-handed hitter Bourn did not pair well as a complement to Inciarte. Add in his decline in recent seasons and an unspectacular spring the move (despite the money) makes sense.

Stubbs and Frenchy are a couple of players that if they are having decent enough seasons can flipped for prospects later on.That’s become the blueprint for the type of veterans the Braves keep around…..I’m still suspecting that something big in the way of a trade may happen in the the next 24-36 hours

Damn I wanted the Braves to put some package together with the DBacks involving Bourn and to bring back Drury. He is blocked by Lamb. Needs woulda matched up Bourn + cash or mid-level prospect I woulda thought coulda done it. Bourn coulda stepped into CF and batted 2nd of course not to Pollock’s production but a fit none the less and Drury could be our 3rd baseman. Very disappointed thought it could work but not now with Bourn getting released they could have him for nothing now

Bourn for Drury? Are you serious? Even if Atlanta paid (before granting him his release) his entire salary and threw in a decent prospect, that would be a horrible trade. Bourn is a waste of a roster spot for our already crowded roster (even with AJ going down).

It is hard for me to comprehend, you mean there is no team that can use Bourn, he is going to play a good cf, he is going to hit between 260-280, he is going to steal you some bases. The braves should have worked out a deal with Stubbs, you go to minor leagues and when we trade him we will bring you back up. Now, all they have to do is wait ten days and get him for nothing

I agree, I think the Braves should have kept Bourn, waited until someone got hurt and flipped him early in the season, vs at the deadline. Atlanta is going to eat some money anyways, they’re not going to be in the playoffs, so why not at least see what he’s got.

Bourn’s contract is too much of an albatross for anyone to consider trading for him. The only way the Braves could’ve traded would be if they covered part of the financial burden and added a prospect. And even that would only likely get them a worse prospect than anything they might gain from it. So their only real option is to eat the contract by him being on the team or releasing him.

Funny thing is, most forget how good the trade with CLE was. There was $29M on the books this year for Bourn and Swish, with a payment of just under $15M coming at the end of June from CLE, ATL is not really out too much, even if they drop Bourn as well. I hope they keep him on, he will be an asset to have.

Bourne is not going to hit between 260-280. His average has been dropping every year since 2012 and it took a major dip last year. He gets caught stealing almost just as much as he steals a base. Nobody is going to want to trade for Bourn with that money he is owed unless the Braves gave up something of value and I highly doubt the Braves are willing to give up any value just to get rid of Bourn

The thing about Markakis is he was projected to be a 30 HR guy, and one of the biggest surprises is that he lost his power. He led the AL in WAR in 2008. 61 HRs, and 300 RBIs from 2007-2009. So he never developed into that big middle of the order bat.